CPN: Heads of civil protection agencies advance cooperation on preparedness and resilience
The heads of civil protection agencies of the CBSS Member States examined large-scale evacuations, host nation support and civil-military cooperation while advancing regional efforts to strengthen resilience and preparedness.
Photo: st. sekc. Aron Górnowicz | Państwowa Straż Pożarna
Directors General and senior representatives of civil protection authorities from across the Baltic Sea Region met at Gniew Castle, Poland, on 16–18 June for the 24th Meeting of Directors General for Civil Protection of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), advancing regional cooperation on civil security.
The directors, who are the highest-level representatives of the CBSS Civil Protection Network (CPN), notably examined how countries can strengthen host nation support arrangements, improve preparedness for large-scale evacuations and enhance civil-military cooperation.
They also addressed the role of youth organisations and volunteers in preparedness efforts, measures to strengthen psychological resilience, and closer cooperation across sectors to safeguard cultural heritage during crises and emergencies.
“As security and resilience move higher on the agenda across the Baltic Sea Region, the Civil Protection Network provides an important platform for regional dialogue and coordinating approaches to preparedness and crisis response,” said Gustav Lindström, Director General of the CBSS Secretariat.
The meeting at Gniew Castle followed the 23rd CBSS Ministerial Session in Sopot, Poland, where Foreign Ministers and high-level representatives reaffirmed the organisation’s focus on security-related issues. In the Sopot Declaration, the ministers notably identified resilience, civil security and preparedness among the key priorities for the CBSS.
The CPN meeting concluded with the traditional Bell Handover Ceremony, marking the transfer of the Presidency of the CBSS Civil Protection Network from Poland to Iceland. Iceland will assume the Presidency of both the CBSS and the CPN on 1 July 2026.
The CBSS Civil Protection Network supports regional dialogue and practical cooperation among national civil protection authorities on disaster risk reduction, crisis preparedness, emergency response and societal resilience across the Baltic Sea Region.
Bell Handover Ceremony. Photo: Państwowa Straż Pożarna